Storing Your Jet Ski Over Winter

For most jet ski riders in this country, the riding season runs from around October through to April or May. That leaves several months of the year during which the craft sits in storage, and how you handle that period has meaningful implications for both the mechanical health of your craft and the validity of your insurance.

Preparing your jet ski for storage properly is the first step. A thorough post-season service includes flushing the cooling system with fresh water to remove any salt or sediment buildup, fogging the engine cylinders with a protective oil to prevent corrosion during storage, draining the fuel system or treating it with a fuel stabiliser to prevent gumming, and greasing all fittings, cables, and pivot points. These steps are not just good maintenance practice; some insurance policies have maintenance conditions that can affect your ability to claim for damage caused by neglect.

Choosing the right storage location also matters from an insurance perspective. Craft stored in a locked garage or a dedicated secure storage facility are generally considered lower risk for theft, and some insurers specifically discount premiums for craft with documented secure storage arrangements. If you are storing your craft outside in a driveway or yard, fitting a quality hitch lock and a cover protects both the craft and your insurance position.

Laying up your policy is an option worth exploring during the off-season. A lay-up endorsement suspends the cover for waterway use while retaining protection for fire, theft, and static damage risks. The premium saving during a lay-up period can be meaningful, particularly if your off-season runs for four to six months. To arrange lay-up cover, contact your insurer or broker before the intended start date and specify the address where the craft will be stored.

During the lay-up period, your policy continues to cover theft of the craft from its storage location. This is important because jet skis stored in suburban driveways are not immune to theft, and the market for PWC and trailer components means that an unsecured craft is an attractive target. Keeping the trailer hitch locked, the craft covered, and ideally secured to a fixed anchor point significantly reduces this risk.

Maintenance during the storage period matters beyond just the initial winterisation service. Checking in on a stored craft every few weeks to look for water ingress, animal damage, or vandalism is sensible practice. If you store the craft in a shared facility, confirming that the facility's own insurance covers the contents (or that yours does) avoids potential disputes if something goes wrong.

When the riding season approaches again, the process of bringing a jet ski out of storage should be methodical. A fresh water flush of the cooling system before first use, a visual inspection for any damage that may have occurred during storage, and a check of all safety equipment including life jackets, fire extinguishers, and signalling devices gets the season started on the right footing.

If you made any modifications or improvements to the craft during the off-season, including new accessories, an engine tune, or cosmetic changes, let your insurer or broker know before you return to the water. Undisclosed modifications can complicate claims, and updating the policy to reflect the current state of the craft is straightforward and ensures your cover is accurate.

Managing the transition back out of lay-up is also easy. Contact your insurer or broker before your intended first use date and confirm the lay-up endorsement is lifted. In most cases, this can be done quickly by phone or email, and the additional premium for the remainder of the season will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.

Good storage habits, combined with active management of your insurance during the off-season, ensure that your jet ski emerges from winter ready to ride and that your policy is current and correctly structured for the season ahead.